Sentinel: Disney policy requiring character confidentiality comes under fire

[AEfx]

Wow, interesting reading how folks use FB. I'm lucky if I log on once a month. Maybe once or twice a month I'll send a pic or something straight from my phone but not login. That stupid messenger app really messed me up, though, I finally had to get rid of it - I totally missed some important invites/messages because unfortunately that's how folks send them these days.

What I do like about it is that it essentially is a living address book for me. There have been quite a few times where I have thought of an old friend or classmate and a talent or specialty they have and reached out to them via FB for a project, etc. - it's been awesome. Folks that I would have no idea how to contact but FB lets me do it and not only is it great to reconnect but I'm able to access talent and information that otherwise I wouldn't be able to.

I have been finishing up work on a book and I needed a few illustrations. There was a former girlfriend of a friend that I knew from college - who happens to illustrate calendars and greeting cards today. She and I were never close friends - had a few great conversations in college but that was it, hadn't seen her since. I thought of her and reached out via FB - and voila - I got my illustrations, she got a new credit, and we both got to reconnect.

Like almost any tool, it's not good or bad - it's how you use it.

 

[flynnibus]

Side note: Ferdalump and a few other "Social Media Celebrities" were out yesterday at SWW

I can't believe someone named their alias after wild cat dung... feral dump... oh wait, slightly twisted

 

[fosse76]

Not to make this political, but I would note that, given the current anti-employer makeup of the National Labor Relations Board, there is a not insignificant chance that Disney's policy--at least as described in the Sentinel article from the OP--could be declared unlawful if the union really files an unfair labor practice charge. Social media policies and confidentiality policies are two of the major hot button issues before the Board right now, and here you're combining both of them (and potentially with a policy that at least allegedly was not bargained with the union).

Contrary to what some posters have been arguing, when you work under a collective bargaining agreement, ALL aspects of your job responsibilities and job expectations must be clearly spelled out in the agreement. This is not about common sense (or lack thereof), but merely to make sure both sides are clear. Of course, these do not preclude employers from creating and enforcing policies in general. Generally speaking, unions don't have a cause of action unless the employer is breaching the CBA, which leads me to believe that the union is claiming there is nothing in the CBA that describes a prohibition of character disclosure on social media and that there is some type of related policy in the CBA regarding CM activity that this is a policy that requires union agreement. And I don't know so much about the NLRB makeup being employee-friendly, since the case law regarding social media is all over the place.

 

[asianway]

Anyone know if this was rolled out to DL and DCL performers?

 

[Goofyernmost]

Contrary to what some posters have been arguing, when you work under a collective bargaining agreement, ALL aspects of your job responsibilities and job expectations must be clearly spelled out in the agreement. This is not about common sense (or lack thereof), but merely to make sure both sides are clear. Of course, these do not preclude employers from creating and enforcing policies in general. Generally speaking, unions don't have a cause of action unless the employer is breaching the CBA, which leads me to believe that the union is claiming there is nothing in the CBA that describes a prohibition of character disclosure on social media and that there is some type of related policy in the CBA regarding CM activity that this is a policy that requires union agreement. And I don't know so much about the NLRB makeup being employee-friendly, since the case law regarding social media is all over the place.

It may spell out job responsibilities and job expectations, however, every aspect of company policy are not. They are covered by referring to the policy (rules of behavior) in the employee handbooks, which are changeable at any time without union approval. It might be altered by use of grievance procedures, but, that kind of detail does not enter a regular contract directly. Any company has to maintain some type of control to react to social and business attitudes without clearing it through altering every contract whenever things change.

 

[njDizFan]

When I perform a surgery on someone, I'm not allowed to take photos with my phone. No sympathy from me, sorry.

Ever hear of Figure 1? The social app for doctors and surgeons...

 

[VJ]

Always reminds me of this video

Absolute classic.

 

[Victor Kelly]

FB is a tool. Just like Google is a tool. Like I said, I was on it all the time, I was completely immersed in it. While I have friends on it, I stopped reading most of their posts, and now focus on the comments on my photos and people's suggestions and requests. It has also allowed me to connect with other niche photographers in paintball and get their input on my pictures as well as give mine for theirs.

For example, I fell into doing pictures at my local field because my gear was down. Then I was asked to return the next month, then the next month. Now I will be doing gratis pics for large games, but will be the field photographer for birthday parties. In addition, I am also a field referee and consultant.


As to the Disney thing for characters. I can understand their POV. Social media in my opinion lets us share, sometimes too much. You won't see me talk about work, or much of politics. But I do like to post and re-post funny stuff.

 

[Thumper 32]

Anyone know if this was rolled out to DL and DCL performers?

Going to guess no, based on this recent video release:

http://disneycruiselineblog.com/201...-the-maximus-puppet-from-tangled-the-musical/

How can the same company get all strict on "protecting the magic" and then show that the puppeteer is named David and film a partially exposed costume for Maximus?

 

[asianway]

Going to guess no, based on this recent video release:

http://disneycruiselineblog.com/201...-the-maximus-puppet-from-tangled-the-musical/

How can the same company can get all strict on "protecting the magic" and then show that the puppeteer is named David and film a partially exposed costume for Maximus?

Because they're hypocrites and have no global consistency

 

[ItlngrlBella]

Yeah but hays not DL and not a M&G. I know Disney did a similar featurette on the Nemo puppet show as well - so whe if obvious it's a puppet and the puppeteer is seen they aren't going to be the same as they would with a character M&G in the parks.

 

[mm52200]

Going to guess no, based on this recent video release:

http://disneycruiselineblog.com/201...-the-maximus-puppet-from-tangled-the-musical/

How can the same company get all strict on "protecting the magic" and then show that the puppeteer is named David and film a partially exposed costume for Maximus?

They seem to walk a tricky line on character integrity when it comes to the stage shows and those productions. Sometimes it's supposed to the "actual" characters in the show, while other stage shows they acknowledge that these are performers playing these roles. It seems to be sort of a grey area....

 

[ItlngrlBella]

The behind the scenes flick they had running on Disney Channel (my now 9 year old was little and fascinated by it), talked about audiences' reactions to seeing both puppet and performer - they basically said, kids are smart and had no problem accepting the puppeteer and the puppet as one. I can't find the actual snippet from a few years ago but here's something similar:

 

[Zummi Gummi]

The stage shows typically acknowledge that it's performers playing a certain character, not actually the character. It's definitely a weird grey area. Nemo and Hoop are allowed to do it; not sure how a show like Mermaid, the singalong, or BatB handle it.

 

[ItlngrlBella]

Somehow I stumbled upon this old thread and revisiting it a few years later I wonder what’s the status of this now?

Is this CM IG/“look at me” thing still a thing? Is it worse? I’m out of the loop.

@rnese But your post/quote hit it on the head - The only people that “won” in this were lawyers. AMEN brotha for this, and for your self proclaimed Gaston-like (or Will Ferrel-ish?) pecs!

...and PS: I was GREATLY impressed with character integrity at my alma mater. I booked our college mascot for an Alumni Association event I organized where we live in Kenosha WI. While it is a small UW, they are CIA-like with our Mascot. I didn’t know the student’s name, face, nothing... I only had contact info/name of their handler - Ranger Bear just appeared out of nowhere with the handler, and he/she handed out candy, and took pics with kids at a Trunk or Treat (for families who lived in the neighborhood where out of towners came in and torched it in riots this past summer). We cut a check to student activities and they paid them. Our mascot literally as “an agent.”

 

[larryz]

Somehow I stumbled upon this old thread and revisiting it a few years later I wonder what’s the status of this now?

Is this CM IG/“look at me” thing still a thing? Is it worse? I’m out of the loop.

@rnese But your post/quote hit it on the head - The only people that “won” in this were lawyers. AMEN brotha for this, and for your self proclaimed Gaston-like (or Will Ferrel-ish?) pecs!

...and PS: I was GREATLY impressed with character integrity at my alma mater. I booked our college mascot for an Alumni Association event I organized where we live in Kenosha WI. While it is a small UW, they are CIA-like with our Mascot. I didn’t know the student’s name, face, nothing... I only had contact info/name of their handler - Ranger Bear just appeared out of nowhere with the handler, and he/she handed out candy, and took pics with kids at a Trunk or Treat (for families who lived in the neighborhood where out of towners came in and torched it in riots this past summer). We cut a check to student activities and they paid them. Our mascot literally as “an agent.”

 

[montyz81]

It amazes me how we can still find new more absurd things to complain about.

 

[MisterPenguin]

And now we know why Buzzy disappeared. Time jump queued...

 

[ItlngrlBella]

It amazes me how we can still find new more absurd things to complain about.

Not as much to complain, rather than to be amused with because the “news” of 2020/2021 is so horrid.

I live in the US, and all I can say is I bet our Canadian neighbors feel like they’re living in an apartment above a meth lab.

 

[tirian]

Somehow I stumbled upon this old thread and revisiting it a few years later I wonder what’s the status of this now?

Is this CM IG/“look at me” thing still a thing? Is it worse? I’m out of the loop.

@rnese But your post/quote hit it on the head - The only people that “won” in this were lawyers. AMEN brotha for this, and for your self proclaimed Gaston-like (or Will Ferrel-ish?) pecs!

...and PS: I was GREATLY impressed with character integrity at my alma mater. I booked our college mascot for an Alumni Association event I organized where we live in Kenosha WI. While it is a small UW, they are CIA-like with our Mascot. I didn’t know the student’s name, face, nothing... I only had contact info/name of their handler - Ranger Bear just appeared out of nowhere with the handler, and he/she handed out candy, and took pics with kids at a Trunk or Treat (for families who lived in the neighborhood where out of towners came in and torched it in riots this past summer). We cut a check to student activities and they paid them. Our mascot literally as “an agent.”

I’m a firm believer in character integrity, which is also why it kills the magic when groups of CMs scream bloody murder at the parades to make sure their entertainment friends recognize them.

It’s obvious: “You signed up for this job agreeing to maintain the Magic. Nobody held a gun to your head. Don’t complain when the company’s policies interfere with your personal desires to promote yourself on social media.”